Counter track joints of the aforementioned type are basically known from U.S. Publication No. 2004/0033837 A1, wherein joints with 6 balls and with 8 balls are shown. The type of ball tracks here corresponds to the type known from Rzeppa joints (RF joints) and undercut free-joints (UF joints). This means that the center lines of the ball tracks consist of uniform radii (RF joint) or consist of radii and adjacent axially parallel lines (UF joint). In the described counter track joints, the axial opening direction of the pairs of tracks alternates circumferentially, resulting in the type of counter track joint.
Known from DE 103 37 612 A1 are counter track joints in which the track center lines of the first pairs of tracks having an opening angle with an opening direction with aligned joint pointing toward the joint bottom designed in such a way that the opening angle experiences a reversal in its opening direction starting at a specific articulation angle when the joint is articulated. In particular, this is realized by virtue of the fact that the center lines of the ball tracks of the first pairs of tracks are S-shaped, and thereby each exhibit a turning point.
Known inter alia from U.S. Publication No. 2004/116192 A1 are counter track joints in which the center lines of the first ball tracks have a turning point near the joint opening, so that the center lines of the first outer ball tracks are S-shaped. Due to the symmetry condition, the same holds true for the center lines of the first inner ball tracks of the joint inner part. The articulation angle of these counter track joints can be increased in this way.
Joints of the kind mentioned at the outset have been manufactured in various sizes, wherein the geometric conditions were derived from the available ball sizes taking into account the required torque capacity, using standard balls from ball bearing manufacture as the joint balls. In addition, the configuration of known joints has also been determined or influenced by the fitting dimensions of the available intermediate shafts, i.e., in particular the pitch circle diameter of the shaft splines of such intermediate shafts, and must correspond to the pitch circle diameter of the shaft splines in the joint inner part.